A floor collapse in a flat in Santa Coloma de Gramenet, Barcelona, on Sunday morning prompted the evacuation of an entire residential building. Emergency services responded after calls to 112 began arriving at 10:50am, reporting the incident.
Three ground units from the Generalitat Firefighters, patrols from the Mossos d'Esquadra and Local Police, and ambulances from the Medical Emergency System (SEM) attended the scene on Carrer de Sicília. The collapse affected 10 square metres of the terrace floor, which fell into the ground-floor premises below. Fortunately, the commercial unit was empty at the time, and no injuries were reported, according to officials.
Firefighters inspected the building's structure and confirmed there were no injuries. All residents of the block were evacuated as a precautionary measure. The four occupants of the affected flat, who were unharmed, were allowed to re-enter with emergency services to collect some belongings before the property was sealed off. Although Santa Coloma Council initially activated housing resources, the tenants ultimately chose to stay with family members.
Structural Review and Previous Incidents
The municipal architect and firefighters reviewed the property, identifying that the interior floor slab of the flat had given way. The causes of this failure are still under investigation. While the properties showed no structural damage, the affected flat and the ground-floor premises have been closed for safety reasons.
This incident follows a similar event in Santa Coloma de Gramenet just two weeks prior. On 28 April, the ceiling of a bar on Carrer d'Aragó collapsed, also without causing any injuries. Residents of that building were preventively evacuated for several hours but were able to return home after it was confirmed the structure was not at risk of further collapse.
Some local residents have voiced concerns about these recurring incidents. They suggest that the affected buildings, many of which were constructed years ago, may not be receiving adequate maintenance. Authorities are expected to continue their investigations into the specific causes of the recent collapse and assess the broader implications for older buildings in the municipality.
